larroque



2 Sheets-Sheet `1.

(No Model.)

y J, J.`A.'LARROQUB.

VBLOCIPBDB.

N0.28&,821. Patented Nov. zo, 188s.

FlG.9..

'2 sheets-sheet 2.

(No Model.) I

J.-J.A.LARB0QUB.

VELOGIPEDB.

Patented Nov. 20, 1883.

l nir-nn Armar Erica VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,821, dated November 20, 1883.

Application filed September 1S, 1833.

`To @ZZ wir/in t ntag/ concern/.-

of the axle by means of a mechanism to which Y I have given the naine of a Maltese-cross connecting-rod, and of which I am the inventor; second, the arrangement of the pedals acting in pairs, each of the pedals on one side being pivoted to the end of a lever, which is suspended at its center from a point which serves it as a center of oscillation; third, the driving-Wheels in connection with the axle by means of a mechanism which causes these wheels to participate in the movement of the axle when the velocipede is moving in a straight line, and automatically renders idle upon this axle the wheel that must describe the circumference of the longest radius in going round curves; fourth, the special mec-l1- anism represented and described, or its equivalent, for causing the crank to pass over the dead-centers, and for rendering uniform the speed of the axle; fth, the movable seats and handles, the seats being movable both vertically and horizontally, in order to allow them to be adapted as regards height to the stature of the velocipedist, and also to allow of the velocipede being more or less charged in front, the handles being movable in avertical direc tion only; sixth, the manner of fixing the frame upon the axle by means of a box containing an annulns provided with friction-rollers tangential to the axle; seventh, the stopdisks fixed upon the axle, preventing any lateral movement ofthe frame, and provided with anti-friction balls.

I will now proceed to describe my improved velocipede with reference to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification, and in Which- (No model.) Patented in France April 7, 1859, No. 148,317.

Figure 1 is a side elevation representing the ensemble of a velocipede constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of same. the conversion of the movement of the pedals by means of my Maltese-cross connecting-rod. Fig. 4 is a side view of the apparatus that I have designed for the purpose of causing the crank driven by the movable frame of the Maltese-cross connecting-rod to pass over its dead-centers. Fig. 5 shows a side elevation and a horizontal section of the arrangement that I have designed for rendering thewheels one piece with the axle during the movement in a straight line, and for automatically disconnecting during the time of running round curves that wheel which describes the curve of the longest radius.

As is seen, Figs. I and 2, the velocipede in its ensemble is composed of aframe, A, mounted idly upon the axle B, which carries the wheels C C of a rod, D, made in one piecewith the frame A, or fixed upon the front part of this last in any convenient manner, and carrying by means of a frame the steering-wheel E of another rod, F, provided at its lower end with aforked frame carrying the axle of a friction-roller, and partly in one piece with the back cross-piece ofthe frame A, oriixed upon this cross-piece in any convenient manner, of two frames, G, respectively carried on the right and left hand of the frame A, on the upper and lower angles of which are mounted the axes of the rollers for guiding the vertical reciprocating movement of the Maltese-cross connecting-rod. This frame G is prolonged downward by. a vertical rod, H, having at J J the point of suspension which constitutes the center of oscillation of the levers K and L of the pedals. To cach of these frames G is solidly iixed a rod, M, by means of a diagonal piece,N. To the lower part of this rod is pivoted the lever O, upon which is pivoted the connecting-rod I), iixed at its other end lto the oscillating lever K orL of the pedals. By the medium of these connecting-rods P and these levers O, the alternating oscillation of the pedal-levers is converted into a rectilineal reciprocating movement of the Maltese crosses,

Fig. 3 represents the mechanism forV 4 A is prolonged at its front part by a rod, D,

provided with a frame, d, pivoted vertically, in which is journaled the steering-wheel E. At its back part the same frame, A, is prolonged by a rod, F, terminating in a fork carrying the axle vof a roller, f. This roller-rod F serves, by bearing on the ground, as apoint of support for the tricycle, in order to prevent it turning over when too much loaded at the back. The same frame,A,isprovided in front and behind with slots, in which can be moved forward or backward the rods a', supporting the springs a2, upon which are fixed the seats a, provided with backs at. The rods a can besides be raised or lowered and iixed at any given height in their slots, according to the stature ofthevelocipedist. Further, by means of the handles a5 and a the steering-wheel E and brakes are acted upon.

There is no need to describe here the arrangements for changing the direction and for putting on the brakes, since these may be of any desired system, and I do not claim any one in particular.

I will now proceed to describe the manner of fixing the driving-wheels C upon the axle B that I have designed.

Upon the axle B, and in one piece therewith outside the frame A, is a wheel, P, provided with a certain number of projections or cams, p, arranged like the teeth of a ratchetwheel. Between this wheel and the crown piece p of the brake-drum p2 are placed rolls p3, prevented from lateral movement by cheeks p4, which also prevent them from leaving the place in which they are lodged, so that they can only move in the direction of their circumference. On the other hand, the wheels 'C form part of the drums 192. Matters being thus, when the axle begins to turn in the direction shown by the arrow, the rolls p3 being jammed between the projections p and the crown-piece 19 of the drum p2, this latter is forced to turn with the axle, and consequently causes the drum p2 and the wheel C to turn with it. So long as the velocipede is driven in a straight line the two wheels C remain part of the axle B 5 but in going around curves the wheel having the longest circumference to describe moves quicker round its center than the axle and brings the rolls p3 against the projecting partsof the bosses p-that is to say, into a space large enough to prevent them being any longer jammed. W'hen the straight is again attained, the speed of the wheel C becomes slower, the rolls again become jammed, and the wheel and the axle again become one. Thus the meshing and unmeshin g of the wheels take place automatically.

I have shown in Fig. 3 on a larger scale than in Figs. 1 and 2 the arrangement of my Maltese-cross connecting-rod. vThe Maltesecrossconnecting-rod is composed of a frame,

1, provided with two slots in the form of a cross, 2 and 3. A roller, 4, mounted between the two cheeks forming the crank 5 of the axle B, can move in the slot 2, and the slot 3 serves to lodge the axle B during the vertical reciprocating course of the frame l. It is easily imagined that if, by means of the levers O, which are pivoted to the links I), themselves pivoted to a convenient point oi" the oscillating levers K and carrying the pedals, a vervtical reciprocating motion be given to the connecting-rod 6, slotted at i, (forming part of the frame I,) a movement of rotation of the crank 5 is eected. 'Each of the frames is capped To any given point of one of the front or' back sides ofthe frame A is bolted a clipspring, 8, the branches of which, when opened, have a tendency to approach each other, not only on account of the force exercised by a spiral spring, 9, of which the two ends are xed to the inside faces of the clip-spring. Two rolls, 10 and 11, turn in two frames, which form part of a collar, 12, driven on the axle B, of which the center and those of the rollers 10 and 1l are in the same axis. The rolls being placed between the blades of the spring 8, and the sum of their diameters and that of the axle B being larger than the normal distance separating the two blades of the spring 8, it follows that the rolls, in turning, force the blades to separate, and that,`as s'oon as they have passed the point of greatest separation that they can give to the blades, these latter, in springing together in consequence of their own elasticity and the force exercised by the spring 9, react upon the rolls 10 and 11, and thus render back, in helping to turn the axle B, the force that they had stored up during the time of their tension. If the angle at which the rolls 10 and 11 are driven onto the axle B be such that the rolls experience the pressure exercised by the springs 8 and 9 just at the moment when the roller 4 is on one of its deadcenters, this deadcenter will naturally be passed in consequence of the action of the springs 8 and 9 upon the axle B in the direction of its movement which takes place at this moment.

It is seen directly by what has been above IOO IIO

described that the effort produced .upon the axle of the pedals will effect an angular speed of the axle nearly uniform, since the combined action of the Maltese cross connecting rod and of the springs 8 and 9 will be, so to speak, constant, as the action of the Maltese-cross connecting-rod is at its minimum at the time when that of the springs 8 and 9 is at its maximum and reciprocally.

Having thus described 'the nature of my tric).'c1e-velocipede, I would remark that I do not limit myself to the employment of one pair of seats, as I can construct it With any number of pairs of seats, each pair corresponding, of course, to a Maltese-cross connecting-rod.

I claim" 1. The frame 1, having slots 2 3, the roller 4, and the axle B, having a crank, 5, with two cheeks, in combination with the levers O, links P, levers K, and frame I, provided with conmeeting-rod 6, slotted at t', as and for the p'urpose specified.

2. In a tricycle-velooipede, the apparatus described, and represented in the Fig. 4, composed of the clip-spring 8, and the rolls 10 and 11, made one with the axle B by means of the collar 12, acting for the purpose of overcoming the dead-centers of the crank and for rendering uniform the speed of rotation of the axle, all as above described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the Maltese-cross connecting-rod, of the frames capped by a slotted piece, the rolls I', and the frame G, having rod H, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with the frame A, of the spring-clip 8, having two branches connected by a spiral spring, 9, the rolls 10 11, and the frames having collar 12 on the axle B, as and for the purpose described.

The foregoing specication of my improvements in tricycles signed by me this 17 th day of August, 1883.

JEAN JOSEPH AUGUSTE LRROQUE` Witness'es:

Roger. M. Hoornn, JEAN Bllrrisrn ROLLAND. 

